Tuesday 31 December 2013

Hedge Delivery

I've used another new stamp on today's card...he's called 'Hedge Delivery' by Penny Black...so cute, although I'm not sure how his other foot is managing to reach the other pedal! I coloured him to match the 'So Sophie' paper by My Mind's Eye...and added some doodled borders. The sentiment stamp is from the 'Fabulous Birthday' set by Hero Arts, the twine is by Papermania, and the Card Candi is by Craftwork Cards.


Challenges for this card:

Monday 30 December 2013

Simple Sympathy

I have the other two cards I made for my Mum to show you today...a couple of simple  sympathy cards using a new sentiment stamp (by Anita's) I received for Christmas. On the first one I used the watercolour technique with my 'Agapanthus Clusters' stamp (by Stampendous) and some Distress Inks ('Faded Jeans' & 'Forest Moss'). I blended a little 'Bundled Sage' and 'Stormy Sky' over the top at the base of the card before stamping the sentiment.


On the second card, I used butterfly stamps from the 'Social Butterfly' set by Penny Black and more Distress Inks ('Shaded Lilac' and 'Dusty Concord'), stamping on to linen textured card. This time I masked off the flower image from the sentiment stamp and distressed the edges a little.


Challenges for these cards:

Sunday 29 December 2013

Ruffles - A Present for You!

It's been nearly a month and a half since I made a non-Christmas card, so I had a little non-festive crafting session yesterday and made a few cards that my Mum had requested. Today's card is a birthday card for a little boy's third birthday next month. The image is 'Ruffles - a present for you' by Helz Cuppleditch, which I coloured using watercolour pencils to match the papers from the 'Party Day' pad by Crate Paper. I cut a few circles out of the papers to make 'balloons'...adding some Papermania twine held in place with a BasicGrey brad for their strings, and popped them up on 3D foam pads. I doodled borders using a black gel pen, and added a sentiment from the 'Anytime Messages' set by Hero Arts.


Challenges for this card:

Saturday 28 December 2013

Favourite Christmas Cards 2013

I'm joining in with my lovely PBSC DT buddy Debby's favourite cards of the year again. This week we're all sharing our Favourite Five Christmas Cards/Projects:

http://debby4000.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/favourite-five-christmas.html

I found it quite difficult to choose just five cards/projects...but I whittled it down to just five in the end...I've linked each one to their original posts where you can find out more details about the products used.

http://helenscrafthaven.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/present-pile.html

I have a bit of a weakness for James the Bear...and picked this card because it also shows my all time favourite embossing folder...Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes'.

http://helenscrafthaven.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/before-snow-in-black-white.html

I tried to make more flat (cheap to post!) cards this year...and this was one of my favourites...simple & quick to make too...and I just had to include and Penny Black stamp somewhere in my favourites!

http://helenscrafthaven.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/crafty-little-fairies-challenge-let-it.html

This one was quite a recent make...I love this Lili of the Valley snowman...and the papers were amongst my favourites too...I also got rather addicted to making felt snowflakes!

http://helenscrafthaven.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/winter-bunnies.html

It's another Lili of the Valley stamp...but I just had to include this one as it uses my favourite papers (again!)...and it's in my favourite colour!

http://helenscrafthaven.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/matchbox-advent-calendar.html

My last favourite is my advent calendar I made from matchboxes...I just love this..not least because it gave me chocolates every day! ;0)

Oh....and before I go...here's a photo of our Christmas cake...it was a really family effort this year...my Nan baked the cake, I covered it with marzipan and did the icing, then my Mum and Dad made the decorations...it's covered with edible glitter to make the icing 'snow' all sparkly!
 

This photo was taken several days ago...and I can confirm that it tastes delicious! :0)

Wednesday 25 December 2013

ABC Christmas Challenge - Z is for...

Happy Christmas everyone! 

Over at the ABC Christmas Challenge, we don't stop for Christmas...so we have a new challenge starting today...we've reached the end of the alphabet, so our theme this fortnight is:

'Z is for Zany'
(Use a funny/humorous image on your projects)

Our sponsor for this challenge is:


 I've used a Penny Black stamp called 'Snowboard Ride'...well, nothing says Christmas better than a snowboarding chicken...right??? I simply coloured the image using watercolour pencils, added a Lili of the Valley sentiment, then pierced a few holes in each corner before mounting it on to the card blank using 3D foam pads.


I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:
For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Checks or Tartan

We have a new Oldie but a Goodie Challenge starting today...the theme is:

'Checks or Tartan'

The prize for this challenge is a fab stamp donated by my lovely DT buddy Sarah:


I used an old favourite stamp of mine called 'Reindeer Pup' by Penny Black, and several checked papers from the 'Christmas in the Country' pad by Papermania. I distressed the edges of the papers, and added fauz stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a white gel pen, then simply added some brown adhesive pearls.


I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:
For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Oldie but a Goodie Challenge.

Saturday 21 December 2013

Chocolate Wreath!

I have another foodie item to show you today...a Quality Street wreath:


I made a couple of these last year, and salvaged the polystyrene wreaths after the chocolates had all been enjoyed to make them again this year. I attached the chocolates using a hot glue gun...did the back this time too, so managed to fit almost a whole tub of chocolates on each wreath!

Challenges sfor this wreath:

Thursday 19 December 2013

Crafty Little Fairies Challenge - Anything Goes!

This week at the Crafty Little Fairies Challenge we have our last challenge of the year...this one is going to run for two weeks. All of the fairies are playing along, and we have a super easy theme for you:

'Anything Goes!'

We have two fabulous prizes on offer from our lovely sponsors:

http://deliciousdoodles.blogspot.co.uk/
Prize - 4 images from Delicious Doodles!

and:

http://www.hobbycutz.co.uk/
http://www.hobbycutz.co.uk/
Prize - a £7.50 oucher to spend at Hobbycutz!

I'm still in Christmas card mode...and made a quick set using my Penny Black '12 Days of Christmas' stamps:


As the stamps are quite small, I used little 4x4 card blanks...simply stamping each image with it's co-ordinating sentiment, colouring with watercolour pencils, and doodling a border:


I'm also entering these cards into the following challenges:
  • Created with Love - Christmas
  • Jingle Belles - Wrap-Up (I've already sent most of my cards so couldn't photograph them all together...so here are some quick last minute ones instead...these take my total for the year up to 107!)
  • Less is More - 12 Days of Christmas
  • Sweet Stampin' - Last Minute Christmas
For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Crafty Little Fairies Challenge.

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Foodie Gifts & Washi Tape Wrapping

I've got something a little different to show you today...some foodie gifts:


From Left to Right: 
Olives marinated in oil with rosemary, thyme, garlic & coriander; 
Mixed nuts spiced with allspice, cayenne pepper, mustard & cumin; 
and Olives marinated in oil with basil, lemon & chilli
(The pretty jars are from TKMaxx...and I made some simple tags using a Sizzix die and some Hobbycraft washi tape, held on with twine (also from Hobbycraft).

I decorated a box to match to put everything in: 


Challenges for these items:

Thursday 12 December 2013

Crafty Little Fairies Challenge - Let it Snow

It's my first challenge as one of the Crafty Little Fairies, and this week the theme is:

'Let it Snow'

We have two fabulous prizes on offer this week:

 from:

and


I've used the Lili of tyhe Valley 'Snowman' and My Mind's Eye 'Winter Wonderland' papers to make a bright and cheerful card. I coloured him using watercolour pencils, then added some sparkle using Stickles. The felt snowflake was cut using my Cuttlebug 'Ice Crystal' die...I added a Dovecraft spotty button threaded with some Baker's Twine from the Ribbon Girls to the centre. The sentiment stamp is by Penny Black.


I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:
For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Crafty Little Fairies Challenge.

Wednesday 11 December 2013

ABC Christmas Challenge - Y is for...

We have a new ABC Christmas Challenge starting today...Annette is he host and the theme is:

'Y is for You Make It'
(Make your own embellishments)


Our sponsor for this challenge is:
$10 Gift Certificate

I used a Cuttlebug die to make a felt snowflake...adding a spotty button threaded with twine (both by Dovecraft). I kept the rest of the card really simple...I wanted to make the felt snowflake the main feature...so simply embossed some white card using my faithful Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' folder. I used my EK Success 'Scalloped Diamonds' punch for the red edging, and a Penny Black sentiment stamp.


I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:
For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the ABC Christmas Challenge.

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Winter

We have a brand new Oldie but a Goodie Challenge starting today...the theme is a nice easy one:

'Winter'

Our sponsor this fortnight is Robyn's Fetish:


 The prize is 5 digital products of the winner's choice from the Robyn's Fetish store.

I've used a Penny Black stamp...he's called 'Ice Dance Dog', which I coloured using watercolour pencils. I thought he'd make a good boy's card, so I used brown & blue papers from the 'Home for Christmas' pad by Papermania...I distressed the edges a little and added some faux stitching using my CutterBee Bug and a black gel pen. The snowflakes were cut using Marianne Designs and Cuttlebug dies, and the sentiment stamp is from the 'Jolly Snowmen' set by Woodware.


I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:
For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Oldie but a Goodie Challenge.

Sunday 8 December 2013

Traditional Christmas

I've had a rather Christmassy day today...we decorated the tree this afternoon (aided by mince pies and mulled wine!), then I had a flurry of Christmas card making this evening...not sure how may more I need to make, but it can't be many! This is a quick one made using a Lili of the Valley die cut pre-coloured image from the 'Traditional Christmas' sheet. I used papers from the 'I Believe' pad by My Mind's Eye, the ribbon is by American Crafts, and the sentiment stamp is also by Lili of the Valley.


Challenges for this card:

Saturday 7 December 2013

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Christmas!

It's the first Saturday of the month...so that means it's time for a new Penny Black Saturday Challenge...and this month the theme is(of course): 
'Christmas!' 

As usual, we have some fabulous prizes on offer from our lovely sponsors:


Prize - a $20 voucher

I took the opportunity to make a few more one-layer cards (nice and cheap to post!), and got out my 'Before the Snow' Penny Black stamp...stamping it in Versamark, and embossing it using clear powder. I masked off strips at the tops and bottoms of the cards before blending 'Stormy Sky' Distress Ink over the top...then adding a sentiment from the 'Bubble Tree' set by Woodware.


I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:
For more inspiration from my lovely DT buddies, please pop over to the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.